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A. S. RiDGLEY.

BONNET FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED- FEB. 17. 1920.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

' Quinnkn Midas UNITED STATES ALDAS S. BIDGLEY, 013 BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

BONNET-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed February 17, 1920. Serial No. 359,391.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, linens S. RIDGLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bonnet-Fasteners;

' and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which is appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to looks and latches, and more especially of thattype intended for fastening an automobile hood or bonnet closed over itsengine; and the broad object of the same is to provide a device of thiskind with a lock which can be operated by a key or otherwise before thefastener can be released so that the hood can be opened.

The invention consists primarily in a twopart fastener whereof one partis pivoted to the frame and the other is spring-pressed into hookedengagement with the hood, together with means controlled by a look forpreventing the telescopic distention of the parts to permit unhooking.The invention consists specifically in the means for carrying out thisbroad idea, and one successful embodiment thereof is described belowand. shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the fastener in position to lockthe hood closed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the fastener on about the line 2-2of Fig. 1, while Fig. 3 is a similar section at right angles, on theline 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 41 is a collective view illustrating certain parts.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on about the line 5-4) of Fig. 2, showing aslight modiiication.

Pivoted at P to the frame F of the machine is the lower member of thisfastener which is telescopically mounted within the upper member as willbe described. The latter has linger grips G by which it can be raised todraw its hook H out of an eye I carried by the hood or bonnet B, butwhen the hook and eye are engaged as seen in Fig. 1 the hood is drawndown onto the frame by a spring within the fastener yet to be described.When access to the engine is desired, the usual course is to hook thefingers under the grips G and raise the upper member of the fastener soas to disconnect it from the hood, and then turn it down on its pivot P.By the present invention I propose to lock the device so that it cannotbe so raised until it is unlocked, and I have employed an ordinarycylinder lock L for this purpose, whose details of construction areunlmportant. However, any form of look, even one working on thepermutation principle, might be employed.

The lower and inner member of the telescoplc fastener is a plunger 1pivoted at 1ts lower end at P to the frame F, and this plunger bypreference has an angular body herein shown as square, and two pins 2and 3 through the body at proper points. The upper and outer member ofthe fastener consists of a barrel l carrying the finger grips G at itssides and closed at its upper end by the lock L referred to, with itslower end open and preferably internally shouldered as at 5. This memberalso includes an upstanding tubular guide 6 having a flanged base 7borne upward against said shoulder by a nut 8 which preferably hasnotches or openings for a spanner wrench'by means of which it may bescrewed into the lower end of the barrel as seen in Fig. 3. Set screws 9may be employed if desired, passing through the wall ofthe barrel fromthat side next the hood, for holding the nut 8, flanged base 7 andperhaps also the lock L against rotation. The bore 11 of the guide 6 ispreferably angular, being shown herein as square so as to slidablyreceive the plunger 1, and said guide is also provided with alongitudinal slot 16 extending completely across it through said boreand out its upper end, in which slot the ends of the pins 2 and 8project and may move. It. washer 12 surrounds the guide just beneath thelower pin 2, and a stout expansive spring 13 v is coiled around theguide between said washer and the base 7 its tendency being to pushupward on the pin and downward on the base and therefore to telescopethe two members so that they shall normally collapse. The lower memberbeing pivoted at P, thus produces a constant tendency of the uppermember to descend, with the result that the hook H which has a ratherlong bill will be borne normally downward into the eye Ion the hood, andthe latter will be drawn down onto the frame with yielding pressurewhich permits the slight movements necessary in the travel of theautomobile. The upper end of the guide is preferably reduced as at 14;and shouldered as at 15 for Elma a purpose yet to appear. The guiderises throughout a little more than half the length of the barrel, andthe relative proportion of parts may well be about that shown in Fig. 2.

The lock L needs no description, but as herein shown it is of the typewhich is operated by a key, and 20 designates the keyhole. When the keyis inserted and turned, it is necessary that it shall turn a shaft 21depending below the lock casing, and on the shaft is mounted a gear or,as shown in Fig. 4, a toothed segment 22. The teeth thereof are adaptedto mesh with those in a curved rack 23 formed around and within theupper end of a wing 24 rising rigidly from a looking ring 25 which isswiveled on the upper end of the guide 6 and whose opening has notches26 adapted to aline with the projecting ends of the pin 3. Suchalinement is obviously produced by turning the key in the properdirection, whereas when it is turned in the opposite direction theentire ring is rotated on the guide, its movement either way beingthrough about 90.

While any suitable means may be employed for mounting the ring swivellyon the guide, I prefer to slip it over the reduced upper end 14 thereof,bear it down onto the shoulder 15, and apply a collar 35 which hasinternal notches 36 adapted to be set in alinement with the slot 16 sothat the collar shall not interfere with the relative movement of thepin therein. As seen in Fig. 4 this collar is internally threaded as at37 to engage threads 38 with which the reduced upper end 14 of the guidemay be provided, but this means of fastening the collar 35 may bereplaced by other means, such as the set screw 39 shown in Fig. 5 or akey of any appropriate form which could be easily inserted when theparts are assembled.

Assuming now that the operator desires to unlock the device and releaseand raise the bonnet or hood. He inserts his key in the hole 20 andturns the shaft 21 so that the gear or segment 22 swings the wing 24through about 90. This turns the locking ring 25 until its notches 26aline with the slot 16 and the ends of the pin 3. Then he may grasp thefinger grips G and lift the barrel so as to disengage the hook H fromthe eye I. As the barrel rises, it carries'with it the guide 6 and thering 25 swiveled thereon, but it causes the relative descent of theplunger within the bore of the barrel, which is permitted because theends of the pin now move downward. Meanwhile also t e pin 2 and washer12 move downward, and therefore the spring 13 is compressed. It followsthat when the operator releases his hold on the fastener the springexpands, and therefore when he desires to again fasten the hood closedhe must draw upward on the grips to compress the spring before he canengage the hook with the eye. To look the parts in this condition, heturns the key to revolve the locking ring about 90, when the key can bewithdrawn. Surely one and possibly both of the fasteners on each side ofthe hood should be equipped in this manner if the owner of the cardesires effectively to prevent access to the engine and other partsunder the bonnet.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. An automobile bonnet fastener composed of two parts telescopicallyconnected and including a spring drawing them normally toward eachother; combined withan element rotatably mounted in one part and adaptedto be turned into engagement with the other to prevent the distension ofthe parts, and a lock controlling the turning of said element.

2. An automobile bonnet fastener composed of a plunger and a barrelconnected for relatively telescopic but not rotary movement, and aspring drawing the plunger normally into the barrel; combined with anelement rotatably mounted within the barrel and adapted to be turnedinto ongagement with the plunger to prevent its withdrawal, and a lockcontrolling the turning of said element.

3. In an automobile bonnet fastener, the combination with an angularplunger, a barrel having an internal upstanding guide with an angularbore slidably inclosing said plunger, and a spring drawing the plungernormally into said guide; of a locking ring swiveled on the inner end ofthe guide and having means whereby it may be turned into engagement withthe plunger to prevent the withdrawal of the latter, a lock in the upperend-of the barrel, and connections between it and said ring.

4. In a fastener of the class described, the combination with a plungeradapted to be pivoted to one element and having two pins through itsbody; of a barrel having exterior means adapted to be engaged withanother element and an internal upstanding guide inclosing said plungerand slotted for the ends of its pins, an expansive spring between thelower in and the base of the barrel, a locking ring swiveled on theupper end of the guide and having notches adapted to be set in alinementwith said slot, a lock in the upper end of the barrel, and meansconnectlng it with said ring.

5. In a fastener of the class described, the combination with a plungeradapted to be pivoted to one element and having two pins through itsbody; of a barrel having exterior means adapted to be engaged withanother element and an internal upstanding guide inclosing said plungerand slotted for the ends of its pins, an expansive spring between thelower pin and the base of the barrel, a locking ring swiveled on theupper end of the guide and having notches adapted to be set in alinementwith said slot and an upstanding wing having a curved toothed rack, alock carried by said barrel, and a toothed segment actuated by themovements of the lock and engaging said rack for turning the ring.

6. In a fastener of the class described, the combination with a plungeradapted to be pivoted to one element and having two pins through itsbody; of a barrel having exterior means adapted to be engaged withanother el ment and an internal upstanding guide inclosin said plungerand slotted for the ends of its pins, an expansive spring between thelower pin and the base of the barrel, the upper end of said guide beingreduced, a locking ring rotatably mounted on the reduced end and havinginternal notches adapted to be set in alinement with said slot and anupstanding peripheral wing, a locking collar reinovably secured to saidreduced end above the ring and having similar internal notches, a lockin the upper end of said barrel, and connections between it and saidwing, tor the purpose described.

7. In a fastener of the class described, the combination with a squareplunger adapted to be pivoted at its lower end to one element and havinga pin through its upper end; of a barrel loosely surrounding saidplunger and having an internal upstanding tubular guide with a squarebore slidable on said plunger, the guide being slotted for theextremities of said pin, a locking ring swiveled on said guide andhaving internal notches through which said extremities pass when thenotches aline with the slot, a lock in the upper end of the barrel, andconnections between it and said ring.

8. In a fastener of the class described, the combination with an angularplunger adapted to be pivoted at its lower end to one element and havinga pin through its upper end; of a barrel loosely surrounding saidplunger and having an internal upstanding tubular guide with an angularbore slidable on said plunger, the guide being slotted for theextremities of said pin, a locking ring swiveled on said guide andhaving internal notches through which said extremities pass when thenotches aline with the slot, a rack of teeth carried by said ring andcurving through an are, a lock in the upper end of said barrel, and atoothed member carried by the lock and actuated by its movements, its1teeth being in mesh with those of said rac r.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with an uprightbarrel whose lower end is open and internally shouldered and threaded, atubular guide within the barrel having a base flange fitting its lowerend against the shoulder therein, and a nut screwed into said lower endagainst the flange; of a plunger slidable through said guide, means fordrawing it inward therein,

and lock-controlled means for preventing it from being drawn outward.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALDAS S. RIDGLEY.

Witnesses:

STANTON D. GRIFFIN, MAYME L. GARRETT.

